The invention in general relates to systems and methods for analyzing samples, and in particular to an axial sample conveyer for inserting sample tubes into an NMR spectrometer.
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers typically include a superconducting magnet for generating a static magnetic field B0, an NMR probe positioned in a longitudinal bore of the magnet, and a longitudinal guide structure for guiding individual samples of interest into and out of the probe. The direction of the static magnetic field B0 is commonly denoted as the z-axis, while the plane perpendicular to the z-axis is commonly termed the x-y or xcex8-plane. The terms xe2x80x9clongitudinalxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9caxialxe2x80x9d are used to refer to the z-direction, while the term xe2x80x9ctransversexe2x80x9d is used to refer to the xcex8-direction.
Conventional NMR spectrometers typically employ an air-driven system for inserting and ejecting samples in and out of the NMR probe. For a description of a prior art air-driven ejector see for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,078, xe2x80x9cGyromagnetic Resonance Spectrometer Employing Air Pressure for Ejecting Samples from the Magnet,xe2x80x9d by Hall. Such conventional systems can be limited in their sample throughputs.
Improved throughputs for inserting samples into analysis devices can be of use in analysis applications other than NMR spectroscopy, such as for example IR and UV spectroscopy.
The present invention provides a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer including: a magnet for applying a magnetic field to a plurality of nuclear magnetic resonance samples; a nuclear magnetic resonance probe positioned in a bore of the magnet, for performing nuclear magnetic resonance measurements on the samples; an axial multi-sample conveyer coupled to the probe, for transferring a plurality of sample containers containing the samples into the probe; and a driving device coupled to the conveyer, for controlling the motion of the sample containers through the conveyer.
The axial sample conveyer includes: a plurality of input apertures for receiving the sample containers; a plurality of output apertures positioned opposite the input apertures and transversely aligned with the plurality of input apertures, for sequentially transferring the sample containers to the probe; an axially-rotatable auger positioned between the input apertures and the output apertures, for axially constraining a motion of the sample containers between the input apertures and output apertures; and a plurality of axial sample guides positioned facing the auger between the input apertures and the output apertures and transversely aligned with the input apertures and the output apertures, for transversely constraining the motion of the sample containers.